Operation Switchback: Decision time

In June, I finally began Operation Switchback, a project to return to a Windows-based PC as my primary desktop at home. The goal: To live with Windows 7 on my main machine for at least two months, then decide whether to stick with it or go back to my iMac.

The time’s come for me to make a decision, but there’s only one problem:

I can’t make up my mind.

This is not like me. Normally, once I have the information or experience I need, I’m pretty snappy at making a decision. But this time, I’m stumped.

I like both Macs and PCs equally – well, as long as the PC is running Windows 7 – and I’m pleased with the hardware I’m using for both the desktops at home. I’m happy sitting down at either machine.

And I should make something clear: I’m not trying to decide whether Macs or PCs are better in general. Rather, I’m trying to decide which system works best for me. This is not an exercise to determine an operating system ideology, something that I think is silly. My goal is far more practical.

To help me decide, I’ve crafted a table that lays out the benefits and drawbacks of using my iMac vs. my home-built PC in eight key areas. While a lot of the points are generic to Macs vs. PCs, they’re focused on my particular situation, with the hardware I own now. You might build this table a little differently – and if you’d make additions to it, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

I hoped that the process of drafting this table would produce an epiphany that would lead to a decision; so far that has not happened. But I’ve resolved at least one thing: I’ll make a decision by the end of the week. By Monday at the latest, I’ll share that with you.

All apps in one or two folders. Usually easy installation and removal – but multiple install types can be confusing. Most apps check for updates.

Nearly all apps use installer programs. Apps and shortcuts distributed in multiple locations. Apps also deposit components in system folders. Removal usually reliable, though sloppy apps leave pieces behind.

Security

Very little malware in the wild. Security software not required, but it’s a good idea to have. Must enter user password to perform most system-level changes.

Malware and Windows-targeted attacks abound. Security software is a must. But, built-in security features – including less-instrusive UAC – are very good. Does not require password for system-level changes, but does require approval.

Plenty of software available for all types of uses. There seems to be less really good free software, but what’s very good for Mac OS X is worth paying for. OS X software development of popular apps often runs behind Windows development. Can run Windows apps, either in dual-boot (Boot Camp) configuration, or in a virtual machine (Parallels, VMware Fusion, VirtualBox). Comes with a slew of excellent software, including iTunes, iPhoto and iMovie.

Plenty of software available for all types of uses, including lots of decent shareware/freeware. Can run different OSes on the hardware and in virtual machines, but OS X is not one of them. Win7 no longer comes with a lot of ancillary applications, but they’re downloadable as the Windows Live Essential collection for free.

Visual appeal / interface

Beautiful 3D-style desktop, with slick animation and intuitive interface. OS X could stand an update – it’s looking a little staid – but it’s a pleasure to look at and use. Expose makes finding one window among many that are open a snap. Multi-desktop manager Spaces provides an easy way to group projects as you work.

Beautiful 3D-style desktop, with slick animation and intuitive interface, when Aero effects are enabled. Jump menus and live-action thumbnails make it easy to find one window among many. Translucent menu borders also help in finding objects on a crowded desktop.

Reliability

Extremely reliable. OS X seldom crashes; apps may crash, depending on how well they’re designed. Hardware is generally more reliable, though since Macs use standard PC components, any given part is only as good as the build quality of the current batch.

Windows 7 is much more reliable than past versions of Windows, and seldom locks up or crashes. Buggy drivers can still cause system-wide problems; buggy applications are less apt to bring down the whole system. Hardware reliability depends on the parts used.

Openness

Extremely open in terms of software. It’s easy to develop apps for the Mac OS. Robust and knowledgeable Mac community makes it relatively easy to figure out technical details when troubleshooting. Unless you’re using a Mac Pro, however, hardware is less open. Upgrading an iMac mostly limited to memory; anything more involves complicated procedure.

Extremely open software and hardware ecosystem. Development for Windows is easy, and a robust community makes technical details readily available. But Windows’ activation and verification system can feel intrusive, and require reactivation when swapping out major parts or rebuilding a PC. Hardware is easy to upgrade and swap out.

29 Responses

I think one problem comes when you want to add a display monitor. If you’re obligated to match quality of monitors so that it’s not a disturbing transition, you’re pretty hard pressed on the Mac side. As long as your happy with the real estate you buy out of the box, sure. Note: I didn’t really think about it until I reread the section of the chart where it read “Gorgeous, 24-inch display” and realized that most people paying the equivalent price for their PC systems always get spiffy dual monitors. Again, nothing is a deal breaker here because you’re talking operating systems and your experience. But if you’re comparing a Mac with their spiffy 24 in screen against dual generic 19 in screens, Mac is going to win hands down.

When I was using my iMac as my primary desktop, I had one of the 19-inch Dell monitors connected to it. I used it for e-mail/IM/Twitter clients, while the Mac desktop was used for productivity apps and Web browsers. Sometimes, I’d run Windows in a virtual machine in full-screen mode on that 19-incher, which was essentially like having 2 computers on my desk, one running each OS.

In my opinion, it depends on what you want to do and what applications are available for each machine.

If you are editing/modifying photos, video, and/or music, Mac is stronger fresh out of the box. Windows will require additional purchases (especially for music) or taking a chance on freeware/open source solutions (which tend to be less reliable).

MS Office works on both machines, so work productivity probably isn’t a big issue for you. I know you said that you like LiveWriter for blogging, although Fusion of VMWare can get that running on your Mac for you.

If you are keeping your iPhone, I would definitely NOT run iTunes on a Windows platform. It is very frustrating to use (actually crashed my Win7 machine last night). That said, I know that Windows Media Player isn’t always a piece of cake either, although I do find it to be both more user friendly and more flexible.

Regarding hardware, if you are thinking about the advantage of having a Windows machine that is upgradable, I would be very careful about changing your primary machine – it can leads to lots of downtime when things don’t work as you had planned. Sure it is fun, but also frustrating and/or dangerous!

So, if you already have both machines, I think I would be most tempted to keep both machines. Probably work your productivity apps off the Mac, which should be the more stable system. Then have the Win7 machine for some apps, heavy-lifting, and playing with testing hardware upgrades.

Of course the Mac has the advantage of being able to run both Windows 7 and Mac OS X simultaneously using virtualization.

You don’t have to move from machine to machine to access different applications. You can copy and paste between them. The two environments can share files. You don’t have to buy another version of a program you already own to run it on your other machine.

My solution would be to sell both of those machines and replace with one of the new 27 inch iMacs (that your newspaper article reports on in today’s paper) or a 17″ MacBook Pro with i7 Intel processor.

seriously, if you can move files between them easily (and for them most part you can), why not keep both?

Other than the fact that they are desktops (dinosaurs….), I see no reason to limit yourself to just one. It’s nice to have a backup. But for me having even a single desktop unit is one too many and far too limiting and why I haven’t had a desktop since the 486 days.

Computers to me are like reading glasses: have several and keep them wherever you might need them.

I posted comment over in your article on desktops. You’re using Windows 7 with VMWare, you’re using Windows apps. Your Mac has an Intel chipset.

Windows machines are targeted far more than Macs because they still control over 90% of the computer market. Hackers go after the big guys. That being said, I’ve never had a problem running Adaware and Norton.

Aside from being “stylish” what’s the reason to buy a Mac? It just sounds like you’re spending more money to run a Windows machine. To be honest, though, I think Mac keyboards are ugly, look flimsy, and are not ergonomic.

How many total hours display on the ‘Maintenance-O-Meter’ on each respective machine? I’ve budgeted zero hours across the 8 Macs in service over here and haven’t run into a deficit situation on any ranging from Powermac G3 to the latest Mac Pro hardware.

My humble suggestion is to keep using both – put the iMac next to the PC monitor(s) and use synergy to control the whole shooting match from one keyboard and mouse. You get more computing horsepower available at all times and if an app is superior on one platform or the other you can use it where it works best. It also means you could get a new desk – so you could probably get 2 or 3 columns out of that.

Does what you do for a living have any part in your decision? Isn’t there already a Mac guy for the Chronicle? Oh, yeah, I forgot – he’s the one that has never met a MAC product he doesn’t love. I’m mean seriously, does anyone take that column seriously?

The boys next door just got back from Italy. They brought back a few DVD’s with Italian language and subtitles to help them with their Italian. The Mac couldn’t rip’em. Windows does the job just fine. Now about that, “they just work” thing?

What happens if you DON’T make a decision? You’re fortunate that you’ve got two machines to choose from but keeping the status quo (which seems to be working for you) should always be an option. And it’s usually the most cost-effective one.

No row for cost — for 100% of users not having money falling out of their pockets, getting everything free to review or writing off as an expense, cost is a BIG FACTOR.

No row for critical hardware / technology — Blu-Ray disk, RAID, multi-monitors, gaming (the new iMAC improves but still doesn’t meet) are common technologies on PCs but are very expensive if provided at all on Apple computers. If you need hardware in this category — need a PC.

Put in a row on what Apple does that a PC can’t if you can think of anything.

PC vs Apple — as a reviewer you do not have the luxury of only using a PC; you have to have an Apple to review things Apple.

Since the new 27″ iMAC has a 2-way DisplayPort, you should be able to figure out a way to use the same screen(s), keyboard and mouse in a multi-monitor setup on both the iMAC and PC without having to switch work locations.

This sounds more like a psychology problem than a technical one. You’ve overloaded the rational part of your brain with too many decision points. You need to walk away, forget about it for a while, and then let your emotional brain decide.

This sounds kinda screwy, but ours brains are conceptually divided between a dinky little calculator that’s easily programmable (the rational part of the brain), and an opaque supercomputer that communicates via an emotional heuristic.

I have to use Windows for work. I recently got a new Lenovo T410 laptop with Windows 7 on it. I have a MacBook Pro that’s about 2.5 years old for my personal use. I much prefer using my Mac than the Lenovo. Windows 7 is certainly better than XP, but I still prefer the way everything works on my Mac when I’m done using the Lenovo for the day. (Before someone asks, no, I can’t do work with a VM on my Mac since I’m not allowed by my employer to connect my personal system to the corporate network.)

The only reason I’d really want to use PC for personal use is for games. I do have bootcamp with XP on my Mac for gaming purposes, so I’m able to satisfy that desire still.

I find two types of users. One likes to fiddle under the hood so to speak, changing cards, displays, etc. to see what happens. Others, including myself, see it as a tool. I want to get in car, crank engine are drive off. No magneto, no hand crank. Just get in and drive. If you like to fiddle, stay with PC and if you just want to drive keep Mac. My .02 for what its worth.

A year ago I gave up on Macs and PCs, built a server and a desktop using Intel’s Atom Mother boards for less than 300 a piece, and loaded Ubuntu Linux , I now own a desktop and server system that works reliably and efficiently. I don’t spend a fortune on software, and antivirus schemes. My Windows machines just collect dust.

How about value? I’ve always been a fan of apple hardware but every time I’ve run the numbers pc hardware is the better value.

There is also satisfaction in building my own computer. I enjoy doing the research, heading down to Directron to pick up parts, and then putting together a one of a kind machine. It’s more than thinking different, it is different.

I love my iMac, but im about ready to make the switchback myself. The last OS update completely messed it up. A Safari update fixed some of the issues. My wife had to switch to a windows laptop because the Mac will not work with her college Blog and other college online services. So I guess the moral of the story is you better keep both around, just in case.

Who really cares. A computer is a tool not a religion. Both platforms are viable. These kind of articles are nothing more than “Click” Generators for advertising. I feel stupid for actually reading the article. Dwight why do you need to just use 1 platform? Oh well spose you can write another pointless article in 4 months on why you went back to windows 7.